


Pestilence and Perishables

by Xandad



Category: Touhou Project
Genre: F/F, Light Angst, Rare Pairings, Romance, Sibling Bonding, Time Skips, reimu cameo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-28
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-12 06:55:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 17,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29755815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xandad/pseuds/Xandad
Summary: The Aki Sisters grow curious of their world, especially what may lurk in the forest they prohibit the humans from entering. The older takes the initiative, and stumbles upon something she would have never guessed.Takes place slightly before and during Mountain of Faith.
Relationships: Aki Shizuha/Kagiyama Hina
Comments: 3
Kudos: 6





	1. Chartreuse Curiosities

“Hey, big sis?”

“Hm? What is it?”

“What’s in that forest that we have to block people from seeing?”

Sat in a small field of wheat are the two goddesses of autumn, Shizuha and Minoriko Aki, both twiddling with the foliage around themselves. The sunset was upon them, warm air coursing through the atmosphere. It was hardly September, meaning that the true onset of fall had not yet come. It wasn’t time to pull up the sweet potato crops, nor the time to start thinking about the turning of the leaves, meaning the two sister goddesses have a dull lull in their activity. 

“It’s far more dangerous than anything here, simple as that,” stated the older sister, Shizuha, who’d move to wrap her arms around her legs, pulling her knees to her chest.

“I suppose I shouldn’t have asked, considering it’s called the _Great Youkai Forest_ and all, but I’ve always been curious,” said Minoriko, the younger.

“I can’t blame you, it’s so close and mysterious,” Shizuha replied, looking up and to the north, just barely catching the glimpse of a thick outline of deciduous trees, “for us, it’s fine, but a human wondering in there will just meet their untimely death.” Her voice would dip lower and her face would grow a dreadful expression, before being completely stunned by Minoriko’s booming voice.

“Geez, always with the dramatics!” Minoriko exclaimed, pouting for a second with an upset, stubborn gaze at her sister before resetting to normal. “It truly can’t be as dreadful as you’re making it out to be, I mean, you go in there every autumn to change the leaves!”

“Well, the difference is, I’m a goddess, whatever dwells within is smart to not think about doing anything drastic,” Shizuha mumbles, having to repeat herself slightly to get the point across to her sister. Minoriko’s heart is always in the right place, she thinks, but sometimes the impulsive harvesting half of their duo would spout words without thinking over them. 

“Not to tread over that statement like fresh soil, but you’re not a very strong goddess, big sis,” Minoriko says, leaning back and propping her body up with her arms, rubbing the dirt within her fingers, “you’re always struggling with faith, and I’m not sure how far kicking trees gets you.”

Shizuha’s hands would tightly clutch the fabric of her dress, looking to have enough force to almost tear it apart. Considering that the two of them have been alive for such a long time, living as a pair of sister goddesses, she’s aware that conversations repeat themselves. However, this one gets brought up more than she’d ever wish, the conversation about her lack of faith. Shizuha knows her sister doesn’t say these things maliciously, but boy does it get so infuriating to be reminded that she’s the lesser Aki sister almost every year. Her face would scowl, signaling to Minoriko that she encountered a misstep in her words once again, the younger of them looking a tad remorseful. 

However, instead of the usual with these two, Shizuha would calm down, sincerely wanting to avoid the upcoming bickering that always ensues when the topic arises. It’d just leave Minoriko on pause about the forest, she thinks, and she’d rather clear the air about this now than later. A few more seconds pass, the wind and Shizuha’s heavy, frustrated breathing being the only sounds for a tad before the leaf goddess opens her mouth.

“I could be the goddess of eating manure, and no youkai would want to bother, is the point I tried to get across,” Shizuha says, her little gaff eliciting a chuckle from Minoriko. Good job breaking the tension, she thinks. She’d mimic the same posture as her sister, having a bit more trouble considering she’s a good deal lankier, meaning she must stretch over more space. The two, despite presiding over the same season as its deities, often have their contrasts pointed out. Minoriko’s short, stocky, and spunky, while Shizuha’s tall, gangly, and gloomy.

“You’d be no exception, Minoriko,” she’d continue, quickly growing an idea through the frustration rampant in her mind earlier. 

“Exception to what?” Minoriko asks, finding herself a bit confused from Shizuha’s cryptic messaging. “You still haven’t told me what’s actually in there, you know.”

“Ah, that.”

As Minoriko lovingly pointed out earlier, Shizuha is somewhat melodramatic. Someone so focused on the impact of her words and her appearance that she can confuse people with what the heck she’s trying to talk about, it being obscured by clouds of analogies or dire tones. It doesn’t help that Minoriko is a glorified divine farm girl and is relatively simple. It’s a miracle these two can communicate as sisters at all, with their differences.

“Well, obviously, there’s plenty of ravenous youkai in there,” Shizuha elaborates, shifting to sit more upright so she can gesture with her hands, “but the true danger to humans is the fact that the forest is cursed.”

“Cursed, by what?” Minoriko asks, now insanely curious. The prospect of a cursed forest is both intriguing yet horrifying, meaning her thirst for knowledge in this moment is extreme.

“That, I can’t explain,” Shizuha states, voice sounding defeated due to not being able to sate that curiosity, “it just, is. Around the outskirts, you can’t tell, but deep within, the curses get pungent. So much so that the trees don’t grow leaves deep within the heart of the forest, meaning I don’t follow further.” Being goddesses, curses are something they both can see, but since neither of the Akis are too competent or powerful, they can’t expunge them like a stronger deity could.

“Yikes, what a scary place!” Minoriko shouts. If there’s somewhere her big sister doesn’t bother to tread, then it’s nowhere she wants to be associated with.

That thought trails back into Shizuha’s mind, the idea that had been forming earlier. She’d never explored the depths of the Great Youkai Forest and Minoriko has barely ever thought of patrolling the edges. If they were to explore together, they’d be equally lost, but they’d have one another for safety. Plus, the reason they take the auxiliary role of preventing entry into the forest on top of their autumn duties is all from hearsay that passes around the Human Village. Perhaps they have a right to know?

“Although, it wouldn’t hurt to…” Shizuha mumbles, causing Minoriko to lean in with an uneasy look on her face, worried about what may come out of her sister’s mouth.

“Big sis, I don’t like where you’re going with this,” Minoriko says flatly, somewhat predicting what Shizuha’s about to say.

“We’re not doing anything important right now, why don’t we take a look?” Shizuha asks, noticing the immediate dread on Minoriko’s face. Yeah, she knew this one wouldn’t fly over easy, but she doesn’t want to go it alone either.

“But what if we get cursed,” Minoriko blurts, leaving no time for Shizuha to breathe after her proposal, “it could ruin my harvest, I could lose my popularity in the village!”

That is a valid point, Shizuha thinks, as a hex wouldn’t conflict with her own abilities. She brings about the death of fall, so a few cursed trees would look no different than some she had kicked. They’d shed their leaves and said leaves would rot all the same. Still considering their status as goddesses, they wouldn’t be physiologically affected by it like a human or weak youkai would. 

As upsetting as that realization is, Shizuha must concede on this one. She huffs, accepting she may have to go it alone, if only for that self-fulfilling prophecy. She could also always just tell Minoriko her discoveries, too. Shizuha rises to her feet, “You’re right, I suppose I can embark on my own, then.” In the moment, it seemed like she was about to dart towards the forest with no second thought, until the silence was shattered by the sound of her stomach rumbling.

Minoriko would immediately chime in, shooting upright and raising her hands onto Shizuha’s shoulders, grasping them with an iron grip. “Not now you’re not, have you even eaten today, big sis?”

“Er, not yet-“ Shizuha’d state, taken aback by the sudden gesture and trying to worm out of Minoriko’s grip. No dice. Minoriko is a farmhand, so those calloused fingers weren’t gotten just to not have a good amount of muscle in the arms.

“Trying to leave on an empty stomach and while it’s getting dark out, not on my watch,” Minoriko continues, shaking her head from side to side, taking it upon herself to take charge, “we have plenty of leftovers you haven’t finished, and I’m not letting you leave ‘til you’ve eaten enough for the both of us!” They have many passes and immunities as goddesses, but neglecting their bodies is not one of them. Despite all those times they get pissy with one another and her own tendencies to start said pissiness, Minoriko still deeply cares for her older sister and doesn’t wish to see her skeletonize. 

“But-“

“No buts, it’s dinner time!”


	2. Surveilling in Scarlet

The dawn had come over Gensokyo, the morning sun obscured by a thick cloud cast. The weather today was trending towards rain, the clouds low and dark. Shouldn’t be anything too crazy, Shizuha thinks, walking away from her humble abode. A quaint little home on the northern end of the Human Village, close to one of the many fields Minoriko spends her time blessing.

On the topic of, the Akis had a mutual agreement that night after Shizuha had to stuff herself full. She’d leave in the morning and report back if things got too dicey or at twilight. Minoriko always had her worries for her older sister, as she thinks Shizuha has never taken care of herself, doing the bare minimum to stay mobile. 

As she strolls alone, Shizuha’s eyes gaze towards the clouds, getting lost in thought with this upcoming commitment. She wonders why she hadn’t thought of doing some exploration earlier in her life, taking trips around Gensokyo to do anything but paint and topple leaves. This land is home to many lovely sights, maybe indulging wouldn’t be such a bad idea. It’d allow her some time to bond with Minoriko better, as well.

That gets Shizuha thinking about a subject she’s always been scared to truly tackle, that being her relationship with her sister. The two care deeply for one another, but to say their relationship is perfect would be a flat lie. Shizuha attributes some to Minoriko having an ego and being dull, but she herself knows deep down that she’s not helping much either. She’s aware that she’s cold and to someone with as much zest as her younger sister, that can’t be a joy to come home to every day. It also doesn’t help that the two have to inherently compete for popularity and faith three months out of the year, with their abilities as contrasted as their personalities.

It’s a brutal cycle that she hopes one day she can solve for the both of them, to ensure the beautiful season of autumn only is associated with elation. To make those winters less painful, the warmth of the prior season lasting until the trees dawn their new leaves.

This train of thought distracts Shizuha from her progress, eyes zoned out and legs moving without proper thought propelling them. What snaps her back to the world is her plimsolls getting caught in mud, almost tripping her entirely. When she rebalances herself, Shizuha winces, upset she tracked some gunk on her shoes so early. She hadn’t opted to fly just to keep her thoughts running, not believing she had many other times to herself like this and pays the consequences with dirty shoes.

She’d then look out, seeing that she’d gotten along much further than she thought, the sights of the fields and grasslands prior being a complete blur. Where she stands now is familiar territory, the southern edge of the Great Youkai Forest. The forest’s edge is laden with thick oak and pine trees, the light coursing through hard to see once one progresses far enough in, caused by not the dead plant life inside but rather a combination of mist and curses. If she recalls right, a river runs through the forest, being a good indicator of distance and location, but it’s a tad due east.  
Being more conscientious of her location and situation, Shizuha opts to fly, squeezing through the trees and making note of any differences. She is to paint the leaves and kick each and every one of these damn things in just a few weeks, so it’s good to keep a tab while she’s out here on an expedition. 

A few minutes pass, and Shizuha finally reaches the esteemed stream, stopping just a pace by it and taking in the sounds of the flowing water. As far as she knows, this river goes further upstream than just the Great Youkai Forest, but cuts through its depths to get there. Understandably, not many fish nor wildlife persist at the point further upstream. There’s something therapeutic about being by the riverside, like she could take her dirty shoes off and dip her feet in and let the coursing water soothe her. However, that’s not what she’s here for, and she’s reminded by something new entering the fray.

A pair of dolls floating atop a circular, straw boat. Shizuha watches it sail wistfully for a bit, having to remember exactly what that’s for. It takes a second, but she recalls that these are nagashi-bina, used by humans down on their luck to place their misfortune elsewhere. Typically, though, this is done ritualistically during the one holiday, Hinamatsuri, where many people from the Human Village at once place their woes down the river. It being September, it doesn’t exactly make sense to see something from a March holiday practiced, unless someone is sincerely desperate. It’s strange but alluring, and as she watches the little boat go against the tides of the weak waves, she observes it delving into the deep darkness ahead.

The cursed nature of the Great Youkai Forest has revealed itself to her eyes, it almost appearing like a little pocket of the night ahead. Shizuha gulps, feeling a sense of dread just from looking at that blackness, contemplating if this has her uneasy enough to go home.

No, she decides, she’s not backing out now. She must know what in the current and Former Hell is going on in this blasted place. Taking after that nagashi-bina boat, Shizuha walks alongside the river, rushing a bit to catch up with it. 

The deeper she goes, the more astute her observations begin to get amidst the musky environment. It’s entirely unlike the outside, feeling damp and cold under a thin mist, the sky obscured. Whatever dwells within here would have a lot of trouble not freezing or suffocating in different times of the year, Shizuha herself quite relieved she chose to visit this place in the most mundane time. Another note she makes, is that despite this being a very natural location with it being thick with foliage, no nature entities like fairies even dwell within. Either they have secluded homes here, or not even reckless, carefree creatures like them wish to screw with this place.

Her eyes direct back towards the nagashi-bina boat, just now catching a glimpse of something that could explain the oddities in this location. The same black curses that envelop the forest are also present on these little dolls. Shizuha puts two-and-two together and realizes that perhaps the human rituals displace their misfortune and the forest suffers for it. Despicable, to let nature take the fall for your own woes. It’s not similar to the demise she’s responsible for, it’s unnatural. Yes, decay is a part of life, but forcing it like this? Dangerous omen.

The further in Shizuha goes, the more she feels the onset of misfortune even clinging to her. It’s something grody that’ll stick but not exactly do much, even her meager divinity being enough to sway the metaphysical threat. Though, she’ll have to find a way to remove it. Maybe she could just, brush it off? Regardless of any stipulations these curses may bring, she finds the environment so unsettling. Yeah, no wonder they have to try preventing humans from entering, these hexes alone would probably give someone some new, uncurable disease with how concentrated it is. 

Once more, Shizuha’s seemingly never-ending train of thought would be halted in its tracks by something appearing right in front of her face. Something, almost unrecognizable in the haze. A gray and black spiral, swiftly rotating just a few meters away before unleashing a small stream of colorful danmaku her way. 

She’s not the quickest to act in these scenarios, being wholly inexperienced at any form of combat in general, but she ducks in time to avoid getting blasted. The sudden bombardment doesn’t end there, as a few more appear alongside it, firing different colors of similarly shaped bullets right at her. Seeing their route of attack, the only mode of escape Shizuha has is a clumsy tuck and roll under it all, quickly shooting up to her feet behind the incomprehensible assailants. Minoriko may have questioned how far kicking trees gets her, but any doubt would be quashed as Shizuha swings her leg up, obliterating the obscured entities in one swoop. The odd part about it was that they felt formless on her skin, like popping bubbles without a splatter.

This immediately sets Shizuha on edge, herself assuming a defensive stance with her fists clenched and a leg light behind her, ready to swing again at a moment’s notice. May this be an attack by a youkai willing to just pick any fight, or something far more sinister? Youkai don’t tend to fight gods, nor mistake them for mere humans. Could it be her own lack of faith grounding her to some lurking menace? Too many questions, not enough time to think about them, she’s under attack first and foremost. She squints her eyes, spotting a humanoid figure in the distance, seemingly walking forward. In the silent air, Shizuha picks up the sound of deep footsteps, like the ground below was crunching below this individual’s feet. 

Each step this figure takes is slow and imposing, a voice soon booming out at her from the mist. Shizuha still can’t make out who this could be, but the tone surprises her.

“State your purpose,” the voice calls, a bustling alto piercing the atmosphere, “outsiders are not to tread this forest, lest they wish to seek their own demise.”

Not a reassuring statement whatsoever. Shizuha clenches her fists tighter, legs feeling wobbly as the figure keeps approaching. There are now more distinctions to be made, like a frilly maroon garment some blots of green. She takes a deep breath, collecting herself and the gusto to speak.

“I am Shizuha Aki, the autumn goddess of turning leaves,” she states, managing to blend a stern attitude with absolutely zero confidence, “I was merely inspecting the area.” Her head starts to form escape routes, ways to absolutely book it from here back home.

“Turning leaves?” the voice asks, now a much more lighthearted and jovial tone, a complete 180 which surprises and, somewhat alleviates Shizuha. Not out of the clear but at least it’s not blood and brimstone. A few seconds would pass, then the figure would fully reveal its face.

What is revealed is a woman in an attire that Shizuha could only call decorated. A red lolita dress and green hair tied in the front, decorated with ribbons on her wrists, neck, scalp, just about everywhere. The oddly imposing footsteps would have been explained by the platform boots this lady bears, completing a colorful yet gothic clothing set. Her demeanor, though, is what gets Shizuha the most. This stranger’s hands are folded and at her waist and she’s standing remarkably stiff, having the face of a lost kitten. 

“Er, yeah, I make sure the leaves on the trees, at least the alive ones, change color and fall off,” Shizuha continues, feeling a sudden sense of awkwardness around this character. The more she looks at her, the less fitting this all seems. For such a dreary place to have such a pretty face, quite preposterous.

“Oh, that’s you?” the stranger asks, meandering away from her current spot to the river, crouching down to scoop up the nagashi-bina boat from earlier, looking at it with quizzical eyes. This reminds Shizuha to investigate some, noticing an oddity about the atmosphere around this stranger. 

The black misfortune that pollutes the Great Youkai Forest is present on her, but not in the sense of someone afflicted with a curse. Rather, she’s got it orbiting her like little wisps, as if she’s in control of it all, not affected by it much herself. This would be answered near instantaneously, the woman turning to face Shizuha with a smile.

“If I knew I were to be face to face with such a kind goddess, I wouldn’t have launched that little attack at you,” she states, expression turning guilty. “The turning of the leaves help me know what season it is here, so I must thank you greatly.” Suddenly, she’s been given praise. This encounter is turning weirder by the second, and Shizuha’s at an utter loss for words. Fortunately, she’s not the one who must carry the conversation.

“Oh, where are my manners,” the stranger states, returning to stand in front of Shizuha, matching her at eye-level and folding her hands back at her waist, doll boat calmly betwixt her grip, “I am Hina Kagiyama, goddess of misfortune, it is my pleasure to meet you.”

The cogs in Shizuha’s head start to turn, connecting what she’s seen and what she’s been told. It explains why someone like this is even present around all this metaphysical gunk, she presides over it. From just introductions, she can tell Hina’s got her eccentricities despite ruling over something considered so vile. It piques her interest, to say the very least.

“It’s of no issue,” Shizuha says, lightly waving a hand in front of her face, quickly noticing her new pal’s proximity to her. Was Hina always this close and she hadn’t noticed? Without much subtlety, she steps back, “you were just doing your job.” Just like she and Minoriko do theirs to instruct humans not to enter the forest, Hina wards them from getting to far in. 

“One of them,” Hina replies, sighing and twiddling with the boat in her fingers, “you caught me in the midst of my other duty, I am quite the busy woman, you know.” Hina raises a hand up to her head, doing a circling motion with it as if she were mentally exasperated with her position. “You trailed my cargo.”

“My, uhm, apologies for that,” Shizuha replies, soon met with Hina’s hand waving in her face. This pestilence goddess is a real weirdo, she’ll give her that.

“No no, no need to apologize,” Hina says, holding the nagashi-bina boat in front of her chest, clinging onto it with both hands and a light smile, “I get my title from collecting these, taking the misfortune of humans and dispersing it throughout this here forest.”

With how things had been proceeding, Shizuha would have guessed as much, the only real revelation here being that Hina’s existence explains the dreadful state of their environment. It brings back some of her prior worries, feeling that Hina must have a lot of power if she’s able to casually handle and manipulate this sheer amount of misfortune. She herself can barely manage getting the leaves turned on time, and here she is face-to-face with a walking plague.

“I see,” Shizuha says, making unsteady eye contact with Hina, her own expression a bit worrisome. This is met with another sigh from Hina, herself worried what Pandora’s box she opened this time.

“You shouldn’t hide these types of things, Shizuha,” Hina says, putting the nagashi-bina to her side and nodding her head, disappointed with her audience. “If you’re scared of me, just say so.”

Shizuha gulps, running a hand through the right side of her head with the other on her hip. She now feels an overwhelming sense of guilt, but slightly curious to how Hina picked up on that so fast, because she was on the money with that. “How’d you know?” she asks, giving Hina cautionary stare.

“I’ve seen many jitter in their boots much worse than you are now,” Hina answers, tapping her boot against the ground, “when you ward off so many, fear is an emotion you become acquainted with.”

That checks out, Shizuha thinks. She has to wonder, are scared faces and people turning tail all Hina sees? She’s never seen a character like this in her life, so does Hina not travel or get out at all? You’d think that after all those years of her painting each leaf on the trees at the forest’s edge, she’d have run into or even heard of Hina, but here she is, a total stranger. 

That composes her next inquiry.

“It’s a bit more unique than what I’m used to,” Shizuha says, now crossing her arms and mimicking Hina’s foot tapping, “my sister and I have to ward travelers from setting foot in here, but some escape at odd hours when we’re not supervising. They’re just disappointed when we tell them no.”

“So, we’ve probably seen some similar faces in our lives,” Hina replies.

“But, never each other.”

Shizuha lifts a finger to tap at her head, befuddled. If they’re both goddesses, for the years they’ve been alive, not a single interaction or murmur. The humans hadn’t even mumbled something of any nagashi-bina collecting goddess named Kagiyama to her or Minoriko. It serves blots what should be a significant connection.

Before Hina can elaborate upon this mystery with Shizuha, a drop of water hits her nose, and then a drop evolves into a pour. The rain had begun with an abrupt beginning, clouds letting down a steady torrent. The pestilence goddess takes a step back, looking behind herself to the abyss that precedes her. It looks to have snapped her out of her conversational mode, reminding her to attend to something else.

“As much as our little chat has such exciting implications, Shizuha, I must distribute the misfortune of the forest around, make it oh-so less, unbalanced,” Hina says, taking another step back before taking a deep breath and stretching. “However, I can tell you’re addled with misfortune, so as to not let you drag it upon the humans, let me remove it for you.”

Then, before long, Hina would bring her leg up and swing it around, throwing herself into a twirling motion. Her hands clasp high above her head, bridged by the dolls still present in her grasp. For being a woman in platform boots grounded to the dirt, it’s a surprisingly balanced and gracious technique, hypnotizing Shizuha for a second until Hina stops entirely. It was quick, just a few seconds, but Shizuha has a feeling she could watch her new acquaintance spin around for much longer.

“You should be cleared, if you return from the path which you followed, none shall attach to you, lest you tarry,” Hina finishes, bowing to Shizuha. “You should get going, but if you find the time, perhaps we can chat, under better circumstances.” 

“I’ll, be sure to,” Shizuha states, turning sideways to depart while maintaining eye contact with Hina. Despite not exactly making a promise nor conveying much confidence in that statement, she plans to uphold it. There’s something intriguing about Hina, a secluded goddess enraptured in misfortune. A goddess who runs on a form of faith not akin to anything Shizuha could imagine.

Hina quickly turns heel and starts floating away into the darkness, and Shizuha watches until she’s far out of sight. That ends up being her own cue to abscond, herself staying on foot as she makes the trudge back.

She’s got a lot to think about with this encounter and a lot to relay to Minoriko.


	3. Olive Omens

“There was a goddess in that forest!?” 

“Clear as day, or as clear as it could be in that place.”

The sun has once again begun to set, but one wouldn’t be able to tell as the rain had begun to pelt the land further as the day went along. While Shizuha had only spent about an hour or so away from home, Minoriko was busy socializing in the Human Village as the harvest was quickly approaching. What it had resulted in was the younger sister being significantly more drenched than the older, having to quickly switch to night clothes as her typical attire was left to dry in Minoriko’s room.

The two sit at the dinner table, Shizuha with a plate of cured vegetables forced upon her by her sister, and Minoriko merely some tea to warm her cold self up. Upon Shizuha’s introductory statement about her findings, Minoriko nearly just about slammed her glass into the wooden table.

“Her name was Hina Kagiyama, and proclaimed herself as a goddess of misfortune,” Shizhua continues, rolling her fork in her hand.

“That’d explain why that place is cursed, with even a goddess plaguing it,” Minoriko says, looking uneasy and already jumping to conclusions, “must be quite the shady character.”

“Actually,” Shizuha interjects, pointing her fork right between Minoriko’s eyes, “she didn’t seem all too bad, just, strange. She was kind enough to remove anything that stuck to me.” With that odd little dance, Shizuha recalls. A swift set of rotations and boom, she was free. 

“Well, I could tell that,” Minoriko chimes, taking a sip of her tea that had begun to get cold, not helping her status, “but still, how odd. Why do you think she keeps herself holed up there?”

It gets Shizuha to think for a few seconds, quickly reaching a conclusion, “she’s a goddess of misfortune, so it must surround her.” She also recalls those little, wisps of black curses that soared around Hina, entirely controlled. If she can manage misfortune so effortlessly like that, though, could she not just make it so that she herself wouldn’t spread it? Perhaps Hina’s not as strong as Shizuha had first thought, being a hazard for lack of control of something so dangerous.

“I retract what I said then, must be a nice lady if she’s willing to keep herself there to make sure no one gets hurt,” Minoriko says, now looking towards the window of their home to watch the rain pitter-patter. “Still wouldn’t want her anywhere near me, though.”

Another boneheaded statement by her sister, Shizuha thinks, but not quite knowing why at first. It’s an urge to jump to the defense of someone she’d only met for a moment, like Hina was a long-lost friend. It’d make no sense to lash out at Minoriko over something like that, so she keeps her mouth shut, resorting to just clenching her fork tightly and horfing down some food to avoid more scolding. She already gets uppity when Minoriko gets on her about her eating habits and her being underweight. Shizuha suspects Minoriko wouldn’t be pleased unless she was as plump as her but, that’s an argument for a different day.

Minoriko would quickly rise from her chair, chugging the last bit of her tea before setting the cup on the table. She’d stretch and exhale a relieved puff of air, feeling limber after the wet stiffness from earlier. “Y’know, I may still try to get my blessings across to that Hina, maybe she’d like a serving of this year’s sweet potato batch, no way she’s not thin as a bone,” Minoriko says, turning around and meandering towards her bedroom. “You seemed quite inclined to visit her, big sis, maybe I’ll give you a shipment.”

That first statement could not have been less true, Shizuha recalls. Despite the corset on the pestilence goddess’ dress, she saw Hina was in a healthy condition. With quite the figure too, no curve even obstructed by the curses surrounding her. As quickly as she can manage, Shizuha dispels the vexing thought, thankful to have food to cram in her face for once to distract her head. 

“I’m sure she’d enjoy it, it wouldn’t be too much trouble for me to deliver,” she says with her mouth full, rolling her fingers on the table. The more she dwells on the thought, the more she wants to return. She would have no goal nor reason other than the fact that she just wants to see Hina. Is it infatuation, curiosity, even a sick sense of thrill seeking? Shizuha herself has not a clue as to which it could be, or if it was a combination or lack of them. 

“Then it’s a plan, that gloomy goddess will be blessed with some of this year’s harvest!” Minoriko says emphatically before quickly walking away. “Anyhow, I’m calling it a night, getting soaked really tires you out.” With that, Minoriko shut the door to her room, leaving Shizuha alone at the table with just a few carrots left to chew through.

Instead of ignoring them and going to sulk with her thoughts like she usually does when Minoriko’s not looking, Shizuha opts to nibble for a bit to enter a different mindset. Ever since her departure from the forest, even when spending that minor amount of time with her sister, all she can think about is Hina this, Hina that. She outright said she’d make sure to be back there at some time, and she still plans to uphold that promise, but the conflict comes from when.

Tomorrow has to be too soon, but it could also be the perfect time to visit. She may have been the first company Hina’s had in a very long time, so being timely on the matter must appreciated. Yet, there’s still the ongoing issue of her upcoming duties and the fact that she does have a time set in stone to visit the innards of the forest with a cargo of sweet potatoes. 

Shizuha dwells on her plans long enough to start gnawing on her fork as her carrot supply has run out, growing increasingly frustrated and oddly nervous. She’s never been a socialite, that job’s left to her sister. This means going out of her way to meet people is always a scary thought.

What likely doesn’t help is that she’s never a sight people want to see. A large reason the humans lack faith for her in comparison to Minoriko is because she signals the end of fall, not the bountiful beginnings. While the turning of the leaves is a process she enjoys seeing come to fruition, she knows damn well others don’t like watching trees die and hail in the frigid winter. There’s a reason Shizuha’s dubbed as the “Symbol of Loneliness and Demise,” as she’s a figure that brings upon the death of autumn and the segue to that harrowing, secluded season.

It’s a major reason why she’s such in a bad mental shape and perhaps why she’s so interested in Hina just after a short interaction. Is It unhealthy to cling to hope from one stranger treating her so nicely, dubbing her as a kind goddess who helps her fellow deity tell the time? Potentially, as it could be disastrous if she doesn’t get what she wants: someone to sympathize with. While she doubts her situation is anywhere nearly as bad as Hina’s could be, just the thought of striking a chord with someone like that can rein in desperation. Even in her own home, Shizuha can’t impart her woes onto her sister, as their situations are too different, and that Minoriko just doesn’t get it, having never experienced such strife.

Shizuha pulls her chair out, slowly standing up and putting a hand on her head, leaving her plate and utensils be. Despite not having done much physically, the mental strain she’s been putting on herself has served to make her drowsy. It’s not a bad idea to sleep to the sound of the evening rain, wake up to that early morning dew. She’s going to go to bed with one takeaway.

She needs to see Hina sooner rather than later.


	4. Markedly Merry Merigold

The coming weeks would be their own slice of hell for Shizuha. Not due to the inclement weather, not due to her duties picking up to turn the leaves, but rather the fact that she would keep herself holed up in the same damn locations she’s known for decades. Each day, she’d stand at the forest’s edge when the time was allotted, but merely stare outward into the thicket and not commit to stepping foot again. Why do my feet feel glued to the ground, she’d often think, regretting turning her back on the trees to return home. She desperately wanted to return but felt as if there was now a wall in her mind dedicated to keeping her from pursuing her interest.

On one of these handfuls of evenings, though, a revelation was sprung forth. In the form of an all too familiar sight.

When she returned once more, she was greeted in front of the door of their home by Minoriko, standing at it with quite a massive basket of sweet potatoes. An excess that’s only comparable to incredibly lucky strokes of fertile soil and weather, but even then, it surpasses any early haul she’s ever seen.

“Check it out big sis, look at these babies!” she exclaims, readjusting her arms to make sure not a single potato tumbles out.

“That’s… quite a lot,” Shizuha responds, walking forward and offering a hand in helping her sister carry the basket, “what gives?”

“New farming techniques are really coming along, turns out using leftover fish carcasses as fertilizer was a huge success- woah!” 

Thankfully, Shizuha being there in time prevented Minoriko from toppling over entirely, having to lean the basket on herself. Slowly and awkwardly, Shizuha takes the load into her arms, it not necessarily being that heavy and more fitting in her lankier grip. She also wonders how despite doing this every year, Minoriko manages to still be clumsy handling her own crop. 

With the bounty so pressed against her body, their titular scent worms its way into Shizuha’s nostrils. Yep, that’s the smell of autumn alright, or at least the one she’s encounters the most. “You got your work cut out for you here, try not to pull a muscle this year,” she remarks, trailing Minoriko who’s since opened the door to their home. 

“Now you’re giving me advice, guess the tides have turned,” Minoriko says with a light chuckle, directing Shizuha to place them on the table. Once Shizuha dumps them on, Minoriko gets to work sampling them. Some for the two of them, some leftovers to disperse at the Human Village, and a final little batch for a certain new customer.

“What can I say, I had to learn it from someone,” Shizuha jeers, putting her arms on the table and looking to Minoriko blankly.

“Yeah yeah,” Minoriko says, rolling her eyes, “anyhow, I should ask, how’re the leaves coming along, the new paint you made doing well?”

“It may not be paying off in spades but, it smears way easier, making things just a little faster,” Shizuha says, tapping her fingers along the wood.

Minoriko fumbles around in her spot, looking around the ground before stumbling upon a collection of leather sacks. She’s always been somewhat disorganized when it comes to the harvest, never having her things in order until the last minute. “That’s good to hear, I bet it’ll look super pretty when you start kicking!” she declares, funneling sweet potatoes into their respective containers.

“It is me at the helm, I’d rather wither than let the leaves fall into an ugly autumn,” Shizuha says, an odd sense of pride exuding from her. There’s one thing in this world that she has the utmost confidence in and that’s her artistic capabilities. Without Shizuha, some of the beauty of Gensokyo’s autumn would just disappear.

“I have a good feeling about this year,” Minoriko says, smiling sincerely at her older sister. While she says this just about every year, Shizuha can sense something more genuine about it this time. It could likely be a high from such a great start to the harvest, but she senses something deeper. “Anyhow, I gotta ask.”

“What is it?”

“You really wanna go back out there, don’t you?”

Second time this week she’s been read like a book. Instead of being flustered, Shizuha bluntly responds, “yes.”

“You may be the smarter one of us, big sis, but I can pick a habit or two,” Minoriko elaborates, tying the strings on one of the leather sacks and holding it out to Shizuha. “You’ve been standing by the woods every day, blanking out, it’s kinda worrying.”

“I promise it’s nothing too serious, Minoriko, I’ve just been tied up,” Shizuha says, taking the sack into her hands and not exactly knowing why she was gifted it in the first place. It’s never her job to deliver these, unless…

“Listen, I don’t know why you’ve been doing that, but I think you just need to go,” Minoriko says, putting her hands on her hips and huffing. She’s back into a stern mode, looking at Shizuha with a determined gaze. “I’m gonna contradict myself and say, don’t come back home until you get those to that pestilence goddess, at least do that.” Minoriko would then point to the door with emphasis, this sudden turn into this domineering attitude throwing Shizuha completely off.

Without a verbal answer nor the desire to want to hear whatever Minoriko may yell at her, Shizuha ditches with a sequence of awkward shuffles, holding her precious cargo close. After she breaches out into the outdoors a few paces out, she hears Minoriko begin to shout.

“There should be enough in there for you to snack on too, by the way!”


	5. Meandering Mahogany

This trip out into the Great Youkai Forest for Shizuha was a bit different than her first expenditure. 

First off, the weather is much kinder and way more fitting for autumn. A brisk, chill air surrounds the world, basked in the great rays of the retreating sun. It’s a scenic picture she strives for, herself finding a twinge of excitement in the idea of turning the leaves under such conditions. It’s always a pain in the ass, but it’s always worth it to capture that lovely landscape. 

More important than the weather not threatening rain, though, is the fact that Shizuha’s effectively on a mission. A mission to seek out the forest’s resident pestilence goddess and, give her some potatoes. The more she contemplates what she’s actually doing, the sillier it gets. All on a whim, an urge to dwell these murky grounds once more, just to get a glimpse of Hina again. And, give her some potatoes.

Shizuha trudges along the riverside, assuming this would lead up to Hina once more. There’s no nagashi-bina boat to catch, and unlike then, it’s slowly approaching twilight now. Not quite late enough for people to hit they hat, but still late enough to huddle home under some blankets. Maybe not the best time to take this journey, but Shizuha’s sticking with it. Plus, Minoriko will have her hide if she returns home, part of another half-thought agreement on both ends.

The more she travels, the less sure she gets of her plan. Surely, she had just walked a further distance than last time when she was intercepted. She’s in the thick of the misfortune, finding it harder to see ahead of her. Tailing back would be the better idea, but not for someone as stubborn as Shizuha who has hinged her current life on just one more meeting. The thicker the misfortune gets, the more Shizuha’s presentation gets. Instead of a leisure walk, she’s hunched over, huddling a sack of sweet potatoes like it’s her infant child. 

She’s determined that she is undoubtedly, completely lost. The only thing indicating her location is the river, but even then, it’s taken quite a few bends and turns which in the thick haze, are hard to see. It’s a dreadful situation, raising Shizuha’s already present anxiety through the roof. She could theoretically fly to the treetops, get a better glimpse from higher up, but that raises the silly risk of getting bonked and sliced by stray branches she can’t make out. This gets her wishing she was a more potent goddess, one who could purify some of this gunk so she could just get a better view. 

Yet, despite all the mental chaos, Shizuha keeps trudging on, willing up a sense of determination she hadn’t even known she had. She’s getting these damn potatoes to Hina and clearing the air or will fade away trying. So, into a deeper darkness she dives. 

Eventually after so much hassle, Shizuha’s eyes catch a glimpse of something that’s not a river, tree, or haze. A dim light, weak enough to be deduced as a candle’s flame. It’s straight ahead, veering a tad from the body of water she’s used as a landmark. There’s a platitude of awful things that light could be, but anyone knows to follow the source when surrounded by fear and uncertainty. Her feet scuttle the fastest they can in these conditions, clinging to this ray of hope.

She’d come to find that the light had been glimmering from a windowsill, deducing the side of some home. She has her assumptions but must absolutely clarify anything she can before riding on them. A few steps further and she starts to hear a voice while also getting a view into a home. Trespassing and eavesdropping in all sense of the word, but she at least has the backup of being completely stranded?

“You need to learn how to cut your hair better,” the voice says with a frustrated tone, continuing on, “so patchy in the back, and so many split ends too.”

Takes not a second for Shizuha to deduce that voice’s owner, one Hina Kagiyama. Prior guess of this being her home was correct, but now Shizuha’s come face to face with a breach of privacy. Though, due to getting stuck with such a worrying proposition, what wouldn’t cross her mind would be appearing face to face with her compatriot almost immediately, who’d notice Shizuha standing outside her window. Shizuha’s eyes would lock with hers, and then…

The Great Youkai Forest would be cursed with the synchronous cacophony of two screaming goddesses who’d both managed to scare the absolute shit out of one another.

It took a minute or so to cool off after such a bizarre and sudden encounter, but when they’d recovered, Hina offered Shizuha in. Of course, having come so far, the leaf goddess took it, making a few observations the second she’d stepped in.

Hina’s home is an incredibly modest place, being just a small cabin for one in the depths of the deep wilderness. There’s a table littered with dolls, some cabinets, a cutting board, and a surprisingly comfortable looking bed. How some of these luxuries reached Hina, she has no clue, but it composes a nice, homely feel. It contrasts the first outfit of Hina that Shizuha saw, that being a frilly dress, ribbons, and platform boots, which leads her to her next revelation.

She definitely caught Hina at a bad time, as the pestilence goddess is adorned in a much simpler outfit, likely meant for rest or relaxation. It’s a simple opaque, black nightgown, and nothing else as far as Shizuha can see. Hina herself has her hair down, green strands draping on and past her shoulders. It has Shizuha feeling, off, as Hina’s seeing her in the same old thematic top and bottom she always wears.

“My apologies, I would have normally anticipated your arrival sometime, earlier,” Hina states, moving to sit in the chair beside her table of dolls, leaning her head onto her hand. There’s no other chair, which makes sense considering how often does she get visitors anyways.

“No, it’s fine, it’s not as if I can send a pigeon to tell you when I planned on visiting,” Shizuha responds, awkwardly shuffling in her spot by the door before moving towards Hina’s bed, lazily sitting on the mattress. Yep, as cozy as it looks. 

“What brings you here tonight, Shizuha?” Hina asks, shifting her chair so they can meet eye-to-eye, making contact for only a second as she notices the peculiar item in Shizuha’s grip. 

Shizuha feels a little relieved to be referred to by name, like she had underlying worries Hina would have forgotten. Thinking about it, she has about a million different concerns, of which only a few aren’t rooted in anxiety. “Well, I’ve been, evicted for the day,” she says, patting the sack of sweet potatoes in her hands, eyes wandering around the room. She has trouble looking at Hina, still feeling guilty about such a rude hello.

“Evicted, oh how awful,” Hina says solemnly, giving Shizuha a sympathetic look, taking it entirely seriously.

“It’s, not like what you think,” Shizuha responds, finally working up the courage to stare back at Hina, breaking eye contact after just a few seconds, though. “My sister, Minoriko, wanted me to give you a taste of this year’s early harvest, and wouldn’t be satisfied if I didn’t return home with results.”

“This sister of yours sounds kind but, quite assertive, thankfully you came upon me so soon,” Hina says, tempted to grab the cargo right from Shizuha’s arms. Despite their placement in the leather bag, she’s caught a slight whiff of sweet potato, raising that temptation. 

“Tell me about it,” Shizuha states, finally seceding the sack from her hands, “thankfully I had planned to come back anyhow, two birds with one stone and all that.” 

Hina would finally get the little treat she’d been promised. She’d undo the drawstring on the bag, revealing the contents within. She raises an eyebrow, pleased but curious about something. She reveals the inside towards Shizuha, her eyes looking to the other woman with a shockingly stern deadpan.

“There’s more in here than I think I can go through,” she says, taking a sweet potato out and inspecting it twice over. She notices how well they managed to trudge through the curse-laden forest. The bag must have been mildly blessed in that case. It makes sense, considering her guest’s sister must be a goddess as well. Shizuha perks up at the remark, reminded of the last words her sister imparted her with.

“Oh, that’s because I was, supposed to eat some,” Shizuha responds, her gaze fixated on the vegetable in Hina’s hand. “I don’t know how I was going to since I don’t carry a peeler on hand, though,” she continues, crossing her arms.

“Fortunately for you, this goddess of misfortune has all the tools needed for prepping dinner tonight!” Hina states with sudden vigor, shooting up from her seat. “It’s a little late, so I think we may have to eat these cold, but I have a feeling your sister intended us to dine together,” she continues, swiftly maneuvering towards her cutting board, “after all, I don’t get guests very often, so I’m not passing up this chance for the world.” Hina takes a knife that’d been placed there already, getting to work at peeling the tough outer layer of a sweet potato with, surprising ease. So much so that it gets Shizuha to stand up as well, now with an inquiry.

Shizuha walks forth to be in Hina’s perimeter but a respectable distance away, leaning on a closed cabinet. She catches that Hina’s not as tall as she was on their first encounter, those platform boots having given her a few extra inches. Shizuha’s lanky frame will always remain superior, being about a half a foot taller. 

“I don’t mean to dig too deep, but how do you know how to do that so well,” she says, raising a finger up, “and where do you get your food, anyways?”

“No no, it’s a valid question,” Hina responds, twirling the knife in her hand, getting Shizuha to back up in fear of being a victim of sharp debris. “I often travel to Muenzuka to disperse some of the misfortune I’ve accrued, and surprisingly, there’s vendors!” 

Yeah, that’s a surprise, an ethereal graveyard patrolled by yamas and shinigamis also just give this forest dwelling goddess a snack. Before she can inquire more, Hina proceeds to elaborate some more.

“Though, they don’t sell potatoes, this is just a carry over from such a long time ago,” she states, resuming peeling. “I used to live with the humans in the village when I first came to be, but they grew tired of me, so I had to leave.”

“Grew tired of you?” Shizuha asks, leaning her head forward, catching that Hina’s zest was depleting slightly.

“I am a goddess who can take the people’s misfortune away, but I cannot exorcise it,” Hina states, setting aside one potato and beginning with the next, “so I still am a danger to those who approach me.” Hina nods her head from side to side, face expressing a mix of solemness and annoyance, saying, “so, for their health and my own, I moved out here, where I manage the misfortune remotely.”

A goddess ostracized from the Human Village, or at least was seen as nothing short of a harbinger of maladies. While Shizuha’s own case isn’t nearly as severe as Hina’s, she understands where she’s coming from. People don’t love seeing her around, knowing that if she’s active and getting the leaves to fall, winter is on the horizon. Though, she wished the people would actually go after the youkai who hails in the season and not her, this does ask humans to be understanding and cognizant, a truly difficult task.

“Sorry for how it is out there, some things have changed recently, meaning that I haven’t been able to attend to the misfortune as I usually would,” Hina says, having peeled a few more in the time Shizuha got lost in thought.

“Like?” Shizuha asks, catching on that she shouldn’t be rambling on herself just yet. She senses Hina’s needed to get some stuff off her chest, for just anyone to listen in on. Shizuha plays the role of sentient brick wall well.

“When I had left, the humans would float their nagashi-bina down the river for me to collect as you saw, but lately they’ve been so stingy,” Hina says, frustration welling in her face. “They’ve made these gorgeous, elaborate dolls, but they miss the point by making it so exclusive…”

This matches with some of Shizuha’s old observations. The more the humans developed in the village, the more frivolous the holidays had become. Hinamatsuri, the one she believes her appropriately named acquaintance here is talking about, was filled with mostly the wealthy patrolling the river, floating down expensive creations that they’d have no hope of getting back.

“So, I have to store less of their misfortune inside of myself and more around the environment, just in case it dwindles so low that I can’t sustain myself,” Hina finishes, halfway through peeling the batch. “it threatens to fade me away.” 

A complete tonal shift, Shizuha thinks, not enjoying seeing Hina turn so dreary and upset before her very eyes. She’s aware she’s not the bastion of joy herself, but her mind scrambles to think of some way to cheer Hina up. Or at least, lighten the mood some.

“If it’s any consolation,” Shizuha says, “the humans don’t have much faith in me, considering how I never come bearing good news, however…”

Hina looks to Shizuha quizzically, stopping her peeling for a second just to see what she might just say.

“Is there a way that maybe, we could work together to figure it out?” Shizuha asks, standing up straight and looking to Hina with a mild lack of confidence. Here she is, discussing some collaboration with a goddess she’s known for maybe a grand total of ten minutes out of nothing but sheer sympathy. It’s a strange feeling, reaching a hand out to another, but she can make exceptions in that mind of hers.

“How would you suggest we do that, I don’t think I can help you turn the leaves,” Hina says, more metaphorical question marks popping atop her head.

“I could maybe help make some cheaper dolls for the poorer villagers and you could,” Shizuha dictates, clenching her fists in front herself in a sudden burst of enthusiasm, “you could just, be there!”

“Huh?!”

“I-I don’t know, I’ve enjoyed your company thus far and I just think having someone to talk to would, be nice,” Shizuha stumbles, just now feeling red in the face and completely scatterbrained. She has no clue how she maintained her composure coming into this meeting, post-scream, considering the nerves she’d built up the entire time preceding it. She doesn’t want to put the responsibility of being moral support on Hina, thinking it over again, but she had encountered a rare instance of just needing to blurt out _something._

“I’m sorry, I got a bit ahead of myself, it’s just-“ she’d continue, being stopped in her tracks by a sudden pair of hands on her shoulders. She looks down to see Hina, donning a warm smile, her emerald eyes having a kindness in them she can find herself lost in.

“I believe I understand what you mean, Shizuha,” Hina says, lightly massaging Shizuha’s shoulders before letting go, “we’re two lonely goddesses in need of a friend.” More on the nose. In this short excursion, Shizuha’s picked up that Hina’s much better with words and getting her thoughts across, strange considering her isolation. Some are just attuned to that better than others, though, so who is she to judge?

“Yeah, you got it,” Shizuha responds quietly, rubbing the back of her neck and backing up a step. Another hand would trace over her shoulders, already missing the feeling of Hina’s hands on them. She’s more touch starved and desperate than once thought, huh. 

Hina walks back to the cutting board to finish peeling the last of the sweet potatoes, just about jumping when she presses her knife to the skin of one again. “Oh, silly me, I got so caught up running your ear off that I forgot,” she says with a light giggle, “I used to peel these all the time when I lived in the village, though, I think that was before you and your sister were around, or I would have known of an Aki or two.”

To have such uniquely similar paths but to never intertwine, how bizarre. This at least gives away the revelation that Hina must be an old goddess, if Shizuha and Minoriko are a few centuries old. It’s funny considering how young Hina relatively appears, Shizuha wagering she herself could be deemed the elder looking of the two. Perhaps it’s because Hina keeps herself in higher spirits despite the negativity that surrounds her, or has a hidden beauty trick.

“Anyhow, catch!” Hina shouts, suddenly tossing a fully peeled sweet potato up at Shizuha, the leaf goddess nearly fumbling it in her hands. Thankfully, the floor isn’t the first recipient of dinner, Shizuha immediately beginning to nibble on her snack. Yep, tastes like what she’s eaten endless amounts of the past hundreds of years. Familiar, maybe a bit overdone, but still delicious and filling.

Hina wraps up peeling the last of the batch, taking a few in her arms and going to sit at her table, uttering, “these smell so nice, I’ve almost gone crazy not taking a bite until now!” When Hina’s seated, she goes to town on one, looking elated as she does so. Minoriko would be over the moon to hear this, Shizuha thinks, instead reveling in the glory of seeing Hina so happy over sweet potatoes herself. 

“Mmmfh, so good!” Hina exclaims through a mound of starch in her mouth, pointing to the half-eaten treat in her hand. It’s so goofy looking that it gets Shizuha to laugh through her nose, smiling lightly. Little does she know, Hina enjoys seeing Shizuha full of glee just as much as the other way around, the two having amazing chemistry off the bat. 

After Hina swallows her chunk, she poses a question Shizuha herself, asking, “anyhow, tonight’s been about me, me, me, tell me a little about how you get the leaves to fall.” She leans her head on her hand, squinting. “I understand the turning part, you paint them, but how do they fall, do you cause the trees to decay?” she asks, now resuming her meal.

“Oh, no, I just, uh,” Shizuha rambles, not sure how to explain them eloquently, “kick them.” Once again, it gets Hina to open her eyes wide, like a child hearing the most dramatic part of a story being read to them.

“I have to line my leg up with the tree,” Shizuha says, raising her knee up, “find the sweet spot, then…” Shizuha would then swing her leg up in a full arc, the same motion she did to disperse Hina’s curse apparitions prior to their first meeting. Thankfully, the home is spacious enough for her to do so, not having to worry about obliterating anything with her demonstration. It’s a strong enough kick to throw a gust of wind Hina’s way, the pestilence goddess looking on in complete awe. 

“That’s, amazing, I never would have guessed!” Hina muses, nearly dropping the last bit of food in her hand. Yeah, how are you supposed to infer that a goddess freaking roundhouses trees instead of using some divine intervention?

“It’s also not about the strength, but the form and execution,” Shizuha says, planting her foot back on the ground and looking to Hina with a tint of embarrassment in her face, knowing how silly it must appear. “But, still, it’s good for exercise,” she elaborates, leaning back against the cabinet, “keeps my legs in shape.”

This gets Hina wondering. Shizuha wears that nice, pretty red thematic dress, keeping a lot of things modest and obscure. She was unable to catch a glance then when Shizuha just kicked the shit out of the air, but now must ask, “may I see?”

“…What?”

“Your legs!” Hina dictates, popping the last bite in her mouth and looking dead into Shizuha’s eyes. This is a gesture that is more intimidating than any rabid youkai could make, as it exudes such a certain power that Shizuha almost can’t bring herself to do it. Hina’s weird, but it’s part of the charm, she supposes.

“Sure, just, don’t take too long,” Shizuha says, taking a step forward before pondering her strings of decisions that led her to this point. The table in front of her is low to the ground, so putting her foot atop it isn’t the world’s most strenuous task. Thank goodness for taking shoes of when entering someone’s home, else there’d be a lot of hygiene to worry about.

Shizuha’d then slowly pull up the hem of her dress, thoughts racing through her mind as to why she’s going through with it. Is it just because she’d comply with anything a pretty girl asks her of? Wanting to be validated? This isn’t anything explicit, but heavens above make it feel like such to her. The cloth stops at her thigh, Shizuha catching Hina’s astonished gaze in her peripheral vision. 

What Hina is so enamored with is that Shizuha’s physique below the belt is more immaculate than anything she could have imagined. The tree kicking goddess isn’t necessarily yoked, but her legs have defined muscle that contradict everything else about her. The demure clothing, the reserved attitude, all hints towards someone with a more unimposing frame.

Then, what’d send a shiver through Shizuha’s entire form, would be Hina poking at her shins. Again, something she’d normally detest, but when you’re so hopelessly infatuated you just can’t help it.

“So tough too, you must show me how you do it,” Hina murmurs, then running a hand up and down Shizuha’s leg, “and so smooth too!” It’s almost like Hina herself has no concept of personal space and actually doesn’t know this is going to drive her new pal completely crazy. Just regular things normal people do after knowing each other for only a few moments, yeah?

“It’s, nothing, too-“ Shizuha mumbles, voice quivering and words being forced so heavily from her mouth. Eventually, she just puts her foot back on the ground, her face about as red as her dress, not able to handle much more. She takes a lot of deep breaths to compose herself, being greeted by the sight of Hina chuckling and waving an apologetic hand. “It’s, just, leg lifts, I do them when I’m unoccupied during the other seasons,” she blurts out, having to fight with her conscious for composure back.

“I’ll have to try some, all I do is twirl around to disperse misfortune, it only really works my hips,” Hina replies, swaying in her seat. A few salacious thoughts enter Shizuha’s head, of which get dismissed as soon as Hina stands up and begins warming up. 

“Which reminds me,” she says, twisting her upper body some, “I’ve loved our little chat, but I have to say, I’m completely beat.” She takes a step back, doing her best to clear some space in their confined zone. Hina, really doesn’t want to go through the trouble of putting on boots and stepping outside, after all. 

It’s an abrupt ending to their lovely chat, one that gets Shizuha to feel a pit in her stomach. She would have loved to spend the night or at least another few minutes, but she understands they both have an obligation to fill when the day is young. Though…

“Before I go,” Shizuha states, looking to Hina with anguish, fear in her eyes reflecting how worried she is of a negative answer, “is it possible we could do this again, tomorrow maybe?”

It takes no time for Hina to respond, thankfully, herself announcing, “of course, come any day you want, as long as it’s in the afternoon!”

Shizuha sighs in utter relief, thankful that this will not be another one-time affair. She then stands by and merely watches Hina use her ability once again, the pestilence goddess performing a swinging spin. Under the candlelit room, what’s happening is far more apparent. Swathes and swathes of misfortune funnel through the home, from both the outside and from whatever Shizuha dragged in. It obscures Hina for few seconds, before the goddess absorbs it all into her core, revealing the ending pirouette. Like the first time Shizuha witnessed this event, she found herself hypnotized. The only reason she stops standing there, staring ahead blankly like a total dolt, is because Hina speaks up.

“You should be good to go now, just be wary of your steps,” Hina heeds, doing a little curtsy posthumously. Shizuha nods in response, turning around and making her way to her shoes, slipping on her plimsolls before Hina speaks up again.

“Oh, don’t forget, take a few for the trip home!” Hina advises, pointing at some of the leftover sweet potatoes on her cutting board.

An all-to familiar notion, almost exactly like the one her sister had left. Little does Hina know, the pestilence goddess just got Shizuha in a trap where she’ll finally eat her fair serving of food. Can’t deny a request from her, can’t just toss them when travelling because it’s likely they’d be found. Shizuha shuffles, grabs a few in one arm, then shimmies back to the front door, a foot out before she waves behind herself with her free one.

“Good-bye, Shizuha!”

“I’ll see you soon, Hina.”

Just like last time, Shizuha would watch behind her as she walked away, keeping an eye on that little modest cabin the further she got. Soon, she’d see the lights inside completely fade, assuming Hina just put her candles out. As she meanders, she munches on her share, thinking forward to the future.

This trudge along the dark road is no longer so menacing, as the apotropaic god it leads to rests at its end. It’s a path that Shizuha is now pleased to travel down, as it’s made her excited for the new tomorrow more than anything she can remember.


	6. Vivid, Voluptuous Vermillion

“So she finally showed me how she’s able to maintain her balance whilst doing her routine,” Shizuha says, spinning her pointer finger by the side of her head.

“Big sis.”

“You’re actually not supposed to use your arms for much more than leverage,” Shizuha continues, putting her arms folded her at her waist, deeply enthralled with explaining the motion.

“Bis sis.”

“Though I doubt it matters much for me going forward, Hina says an off-balance twirl puts misfortune throughout the environment at an uneven level,” Shizuha elaborates, putting her weight on one leg to mimic a teeter, “it’s like when I kick the trees, it’s about a proper technique-“

“ _Shizuha!_ ”

“So- huh?”

Stood in the dining area of their home are the Aki sisters, both still in their nightclothes as it was the crack of dawn. Shizuha was the first to rise, a pattern that had been persisting for over a month, much to her sister’s surprise. Though, Minoriko’s not a dunce, and has her all-but confirmed suspicion as to why her older sister’s been more active.

It is late into October, and since Shizuha had persisted in visiting the Great Youkai Forest just over a month prior out of curiosity, she’d made a lot more visits. In fact, every evening, Shizuha would make that trudge through the cursed terrain, visiting a certain pestilence goddess in her quaint little home. After every encounter, Shizuha would regale Minoriko of their exploits the next day, showing a life in her that Minoriko hasn’t seen in ages.

Of course, Minoriko’s overjoyed that her typically doom and gloom sister has found more vigor. No longer is hailing in the turning and falling of the leaves a dreary inevitability of the season. Though the source is unlikely and personally one she herself still isn’t quite used to the thought of just yet, Shizuha and Hina forming some sort of odd, circumstantial friendship has been to the benefit of more than they think. There is one caveat, an issue that only exists for someone as talkative and boisterous as Minoriko Aki, and that is that she hardly gets a word in edgewise anymore.

“A good morning will do, you know?” Minoriko says, a tired laugh coming from her lips. She takes an assortment of berries into a mortar and pestle, beginning to grind them into a paste. “You’re so talkative, lately.”

“Am I?” Shizuha asks, contemplative about the statement. It’s like when someone points out a verbal tic, it gets the brain to become more pensive than it has any right to, followed by a hint of self-consciousness.

“Well, duh,” Minoriko replies, turning her head to face her sister, Shizuha now planted on the ground with prim posture. It’s funny seeing her so uptight in her pajamas, she thinks. “It’s been like this ever since you’ve been going to see that Hina every day,” she says taking a hand off the pestle to wave back at Shizuha. She’s made this observation for a while, but this is the first time she’s actually spoken up about it.

Shizuha sits herself at the table, leaning forth and putting her elbows on its wooden top, looking to Minoriko blankly. “If that’s the case, I’m, sorry then,” Shizuha says, feeling slightly guilty. She’s not used to oversharing or being a motormouth in general, so it hits a strange twang in her soul.

“Oh, don’t apologize, I think it’s great!” Minoriko exclaims, settling into her typical volume that’s mor eponymous with her. “Unless she’s some imaginary friend, I’m happy someone’s made my big sis happy, is all,” she states, now partitioning some bread to go along with the fruit spread she’d just made. Saying that did remind her of something else she wanted to press about but has some doubts. It’s a sensitive subject, but if there is someone to pester Shizuha about it, it’s her sister.

Shizuha continues to sit at the table in deep contemplation, still feeling a light sense of embarrassment. While she hadn’t known she was being super obvious about her behavior at home this past month, having it brought up has her feeling meek. Though, Minoriko is quite on the money with her statements.

Every trip to Hina’s abode was one she looked forward too. It’d rob her sleep with excitement, filling her with energy she never knew she had. Each excursion had the two learn more about one another. Their lives, their pasts, their hopeful futures, all laid out for one another with each passing day. Shizuha would bring over her landscape paintings, Hina would reveal some strange dance. Hell, they’d even begun to bond over arts and crafts, kickstarting Hina’s next venture in giving out nagashi-bina for cheap and free in the Human Village. Their exchanges never reached the bizarre circumstance of Shizuha’s second venture into the deep, though. No touchy-feely attitudes outside of departing embraces.

“Well, obviously she’s not fake,” Shizuha says flatly, not even wanting to toy with the thought of her friend being a total illusion. “I do hope you two could meet one day, though, after the harvest is complete,” she states, recalling Minoriko’s reason for never tagging along.

“Any friend of yours is a friend of mine, if you’re feeling active during the winter, just maybe I’ll tag along,” Minoriko says, turning towards the table with a plate of bread slices with berry paste and taking her seat. A simple but kind breakfast, one that both seize. It reminds Minoriko of another observation, one she’s personally glad to witness. “You’ve been eating more too, I can tell you’re not so skin and bones anymore,” she jeers, winking and exuding a somewhat smug aura.

Shizuha takes a slice into her hand, biting into its corner before speaking back up with her mouth full, “I may have to slim down then, don’t want to look like a taller version of you, Minoriko.”

“Hey, you take that back!” Minoriko exclaims, sly attitude replaced with an insulted one. “I’m as plump and fertile as the fields I tow, there’s a reason I’m the harvest goddess, you walking leaf!”

“And you judged me for talking too much,” Shizuha retorts, swallowing her snack and using a free hand to point a finger at Minoriko’s face, “sisters don’t share how fertile they are with their sisters.”

A moment of silence hangs in the air, tension nearly assuming a physical form between the two. Minoriko’s pout meets with Shizuha’s sneer, the Aki pair in an emotional deadlock, but only for just a second. Then, synchronous laughter fills the room. 

It’s an old, nostalgic feeling the two haven’t experienced in a long while. Normally, the bickering between them can result in some harsher words thrown about, attitudes of scorn flying amok. The air of healthy jabs and gaffes had left this household, and they both suppose they have an unrelated goddess to thank. Due to the improved attitude of one, the sisters can talk amongst one another more like sisters. A pestilence goddess who bestowed a blessing, how ironic.

Minoriko is the first to come down from her giggling it, leaning forward on her hands and eyeing Shizuha. Her gaze is curious, inquisitive, one her older sister catches onto. 

“Hey, big sis,” Minoriko says quietly, deciding now is as good of a time as any.

“What is it now?” Shizuha asks, unaware of what cogs are turning in Minoriko’s head.

“Are you in love?”

This serves to get Shizuha to pause completely. It’s not a question she’d think she’d have to answer any time soon and is utterly not prepared to do so. She’s obviously aware of who Minoriko is talking about, but she herself hasn’t even considered such. Or, has she?

“I, Hina’s just a friend of mine, don’t be so rash,” Shizuha blurts out, waving a hand in front of her face and trying to obscure herself.

“Oh, don’t tell me that, people who plan to just be friends don’t do what you do!” Minoriko retorts emphatically, sitting up straight and looking sternly at Shizuha. “You visit her every night, talk about her every morning, and totally think about her every day!” 

“I’ve only known her for such a short time-“ Shizuha tries to squeak, but Minoriko’s loud attitude isn’t giving her a word in edgewise.

“You show her your paintings that I don’t always see, you ask me to prepare food for your trip, you get cursed on purpose,” Minoriko says, putting a finger up for every instance she brings up, “and, despite having never even seen this lady, I can imagine every green hair on Hina’s head just from what you’ve told me!”

“Minoriko, please,” Shizuha pleads, putting her arms onto the table and sinking her head into it.

“A short time or not, you definitely have something going on,” Minoriko finishes, sitting back and exhaling, almost having run out of breath from exuding so much, “just be honest with me.”

It takes some time before Shizuha speaks up, her having to gather a lot of willpower. She cannot deny how she’s felt this whole time, either. Hina dominates a certain part of her mind and at this point, a whole section of her daily schedule. Even her yearly duty of turning the leaves hasn’t gotten in her way, the process done with more fervor than ever before just so she can have her visit. It’s hard to come to terms with infatuation so easily, especially for one so foreign to the concept of romance like Shizuha. She sits back upright, taking a few deep breaths as a final attempt at gathering herself. 

“I suppose you’re right, I’m, hopelessly besotted by her,” she says, rubbing her neck with her hand, skin balmy to the touch. “She’s gorgeous, captivating, anything I could ever ask for,” she continues, not caring if she sounds overdramatic now, “she’s a delight, a woman who lights up that depressing forest, and we hear out one another’s woes.” Another lull happens, Shizuha looking at Minoriko with a calm expression, one that’d just come to terms with her mentality the moment she was able to speak about it.

“How could I not fall for someone like that?”

“I’m glad you came out about it,” Minoriko replies suddenly, beginning to snack on her breakfast before it begun to get cold, “have you considered telling her?”

“Well, up until now, such a thought would seem preposterous, and even so,” Shizuha says, wanting to sink back into her arms, “she could do better than me.”

“With that demeanor, yeah,” Minoriko states bluntly, “time and time again I have to tell you big sis, have more faith in _yourself_ , the worst she can say is no.”

Very on the nose and a little scathing but, Shizuha knows her sister’s right here. Though, she does wonder, when did Minoriko become so well-versed in this field? It’s not like the harvest goddess is necessarily one of love, too. She’d ask but feels that’s a conversation for a different day.

“I may just have to give you the boot again unless you come back and tell me how it went,” Minoriko says, the threat falling on deaf ears with Shizuha. “If you don’t ask her soon, you may go crazy…”

Minoriko looks towards the window of their home, being stuck by sudden urgency once she notices the condition of the skies. The sun’s beginning to peak high into the sky, signaling that the two autumn goddesses should get to work. How much time had passed, Minoriko wonders? She rises from her chair, staring at her sullen sister and imparting her with one last piece of her mind. “Let’s get to work, and maybe we can talk more before you see Hina tonight, how does that sound?” she asks with a lighter tone, smiling warmly to Shizuha.

“That’s fine by me,” Shizuha replies, quickly rising and maneuvering to her bedroom where her clothes are stored. It’s never a good idea to tackle a day’s duties in one’s nightclothes, just spurns the ethic away completely. Though Shizuha’s a bit of a mess in the head, it’d be ridiculous to shirk her work as a goddess because of it. Imagine, a god who declines their tasks due to petty emotional ties, how ridiculous a thought. 

Fortunately for her, entering the tree-kicking phase of the autumn means that she doesn’t necessarily need to dedicate a lot of mental energy to her task. Meaning, she can mull this over for hours on end and try not to go insane doing it. What a lovely use of time.

After the Aki sisters change into their appropriate attire, Shizuha’s out the door and into the world first, Minoriko following slowly. The harvest goddess can’t quite put her finger on it, but she has a sneaking suspicion that something strange is going to happen today. Like, there was an event that had occurred that’s going to affect her and her sister. 

Oh well, no need to worry about it now. There are grapes that need to be stomped into wine, that’s more important.


	7. Young Yammering Yam

“The absolute nerve of that shrine maiden!” Minoriko exclaims, putting her hands on her hips and stomping around the dining area, making a fuss throughout their home. The temper has been flared in the harvest goddess, who is growing red with rage like the beet crop, shouting, “she storms through my big sis, threatens to eat me, then ditches right after!”

Shizuha remains quiet in her seat, nursing her temple from a mixture of the previous bout and slowly getting a headache from Minoriko’s yelling. She was the first of the two to fall to the Hakurei Shrine Maiden, being taken entirely off guard by the encounter. Though, preparedness wouldn’t exactly help, either, considering her and her sister are wholly unprepared for spell card duels. They exist to rein in autumn and ward regular people, not dissuade the damn incident solver. Totally dampers what was turning into quite the pleasant afternoon.

“I just… agh!” Minoriko continues, clutching her head with both of her hands, before viciously slamming her hat onto the wooden floor. The little grape accessory falls out of place, that being the signal for her to calm down. For a moment, however, the only sound in the entire home is her hyperventilation.

“You smelled really nice today, Minoriko,” Shizuha says, not quite sure what else she can do right now, “maybe that’s why she thought to say such a thing?” She understands bringing up her sister’s fragrance is weird, but admittedly, it’s weirder that an esteemed character like that miko joked about consuming Minoriko like a vegetable.

“What am I supposed to do, a goddess is supposed to be proud of her scent!” Minoriko replies, taking a rough seat in her chair and not caring if her butt was that seat’s undoing. “If those remarks become a trend in the village, I’m going to start spritzing myself with manure, see how they like it.”

“Expect having to get your own home if you do so,” Shizuha chimes, tapping her fingers along the table, “or me throwing you into the river.” She has a feeling that she’s overlooked something major today, thoughts obfuscated by their current debacle. It can’t be that they’re shoving aside their duties, as now has a good time and reason to take a break. 

“It’s so frustrating,” Minoriko says with a huff, putting her arms on the table and burying her head in them, groaning indiscriminately into them. 

“Agreed.”

Shizuha continues to tap her fingers on the hardwood, the high-pitched thuds reverberating throughout their home. She’s somewhat shocked that it’s not adding on to Minoriko’s frustration as it’s not necessarily a soothing sound.

“Maybe we ought to commit to getting better at spell card duels,” she continues, looking to Minoriko who has not moved an inch from her defeated position. 

“I know, I know, it’s just, where do we start?” Minoriko asks, slowly raising her head up and looking at her sister with complete depletion through her body. It’s been a while since Shizuha can recall seeing her this disheveled in the fall. 

“The answer’s in what you said, we can just practice with one another,” Shizuha dictates, raising a finger upward, “maybe we actually make use of the winter to devote some time to that.”

“Uggghhh, that sounds so miserable,” Minoriko grumbles, slowly rising from her chair to go retrieve her hat on the floor.

“Yes, but it’s what we have to do if we want to…” Shizuha trails, a thought coming to the forefront of her mind. It’s remembrance of why either of them even knows a spell card or two to begin with, to keep people from going out of bounds.

“Want to what?” Minoriko drones, adjusting her now bruised grape accessory back onto her bonnet.

_To keep people from going in there_

Shizuha shoots up, nearly bashing the tabletop with flat hands, eyes shot wide open with mania. 

“The forest!” she exclaims, immediately moving to the door of her home to slide her shoes on. 

“The- oh.” Minoriko gets what’s going on in her sister’s head almost immediately. The shrine maiden blitzed through the both of them in that direction, so if what Shizuha recounted to her was true, it’s inevitable she would have run into a certain somebody.

“I have to check up on Hina, I’ll… be back later!” Shizuha shouts whilst barreling out the door, flying at a speed that may have been better energy spent during the prior duel.

As Shizuha darts out with reckless abandon, she’s left Minoriko stuck looking dumb in their home. 

“Her heart getting tangled’s made her energetic, alright,” she sighs, wondering how she’ll go about the rest of her own day. Shizuha being gone all the time now’s made for some lonely nights, that’s for sure


	8. Softhearted Sage

Unlike her usual trudges through the wilderness, Shizuha is wasting no time getting to her destination. No time being taken to admire the sights, no time wasted taking a new route. She has a place she needs to be and, while she’s not an imposing or strong woman, Heaven forbid someone get in her way. She just about comes to an aerial skid at the riverside, landing beside it and sprinting as fast as her legs allow. The final benefit to kicking trees, the leg strength makes you quite the quick runner.

There is one unmistakable air about the forest as she dashes along, the Great Youkai Forest has seen a transformation. Less misfortune in clouding the view, meaning the afternoon sun glistens through even its thick canopy. It gets Shizuha somewhat fearful, knowing that Hina would be safe in the long run considering a spell card bout never killed anyone, but what else could have occurred. Could she have been mistaken by a youkai for her malignant properties and exorcised? What even happens to a goddess that’s been exorcised?

Despite being in a dead heat, this trek has felt like an eternity to the autumn leaf goddess, familiar trees elongating themselves to tunnels in her perception. It’s an ugly feeling, being this worried for someone even against all reasoning stating they’re fine. Anxiety’s a bitch that way, convincing all manner of logic that it’s wrong somehow.

Eventually in this race against the clock, she comes upon a kinder sight: Hina’s cabin home. Just from a quick gander Shizuha spots the most relieving thing she could have possibly seen. Ironic, considering that thing is small black balls of misfortune through the window, eponymous of a Kagiyama dwelling within.

With the adrenaline out of her system, Shizuha walks up to the front door, taking a second to gather her breath. She’s in decent shape but has a short tank, a byproduct of having never eaten well recently. After huffing enough of the forest’s damp air, she lifts her hand to the door to knock, only to be met with it being opened for her.

It’s an uncomfortable silence between the two, Hina hazing to gaze over her exhausted friend, and Shizuha coming to terms with oodles of emotions upon this encounter. Hina’s adorned in the same nightgown from when they first conspired in her home, this time around appearing just a bit worse for wear.

No doubt she’d just gone through something similar to Shizuha and her sister and was likely about to take a siesta, even if the day is young.

“You pant really loudly,” Hina says, leaning against her doorway, a tired expression on her face. It’s a weird remark but after having gotten so familiar with Hina, Shizuha’s gotten used to them. Once more, the goofiness is part of the charm.

“Do I now?” Shizuha asks breathily, taking a second of her own time to just hear her own breathing. Huh, would you look at that.

“I assume we just went through the same thing,” Hina states with a sigh, rubbing one arm with her hand and looking to the ground, “a shrine maiden comes along and embarrasses you in a duel, for seemingly no reason.”

“Emphasis on the seemingly,” Shizuha retorts, beginning to hunch, legs starting to give out, “there’s always a reason, just a shame we got wrapped up in the mayhem.”

“Why don’t you come inside, you’re shaking like a-“ Hina says before catching herself, avoiding a certain corny phrase in the presence of this peculiar goddess, “a lot, a lot.” Shizuha picks up that there’s something amiss with Hina, but chalks it up to that same frustration she’d felt after that duel. 

Without a word exchanged, Shizuha follows, Hina lagging so she can close the door after. They assume a position they’ve done numerous times since they’d begun their daily routine. Shizuha would sit on the bedside and Hina would take her seat at her table, with the leaf goddess always remarking.

“Still no chair for me, I see,” she says, it almost being confirmation that something hasn’t possessed her. Even in the strange air they find themselves amid, this dumb quip will leave Shizuha’s mouth every time she’s here. Hina typically doesn’t mind and even took to making it a game of sorts to make some new, ridiculous excuse. At some point it was about having made a new one, but a termite youkai got to it. That painted imagery in Shizuha’s head that she wished to jot down.

However, no such luck today. Hina sits at her desk with her head in her hand, unenthused this go around. An air of dread far surpasses any misfortune that could cling to her. Shizuha raises her brow, leaning forward an trying to make some eye contact, despite the distance and angle. “Hey, is everything alright?” she inquires, asking in a soft tone. She’s grown increasingly uncomfortable and cautious, unsure on how she should bear the weight of conversation if forced today. It’s unsettling, seeing Hina down and out like this. Obviously, she’s not going to a be a basket of sunshine in the impenetrable dark every day, it’s just that Shizuha hasn’t mentally prepared for when that happens.

“No, everything’s fine,” Hina mumbles, waving a hand dismissively. Shizuha opens her mouth to speak and contest that phrase but is soon caught by Hina continuing.

“Is what I would say if I had the gall to lie to a friend,” she states, turning her chair and looking at Shizuha with an odd expression. Her lips are strained and her eyes are unsure, appearing flustered. It’s out of character for her to look like this, at least in their month of knowing each other, Shizuha thinks.

“That bent up about it, huh?” Shizuha asks, sold on her prior guess. Hina’s duty is to guard this place from wanderers and intruders, so it makes sense she’d be so upset if she were to fail that like she just did. Though, the response given is not quite what Shizuha would have expected.

“Bah, if someone can shove me aside then the forest is not a worrying subject to them,” Hina responds bluntly, practically slapping the air, “I’m not a stranger to losing, either, it doesn’t make me lose sleep.”

“Then, what is it?”

“Shizuha.”

“…Hina?”

The pestilence goddess rises from her chair, folding her hands at her waist and looking at Shizuha with sudden fervor. The stance of a demoiselle with the conflicting expression of energy. Sometimes it’s a shame that only Hina knows what goes on in Hina’s head, because it’s got Shizuha worried through body language alone.

“What would you consider our relationship to be?” Hina asks, bringing a hand to her chin, covering her lips with her index finger. Her tone is flat, and her expression is blank. None of this is helping the anxiety bubbling in Shizuha’s core.

Shizuha prays to her lucky stars that they don’t incur their first piece of true drama. Thing is, she’d have no clue where Hina would start picking apart the past month.

“That of, friends,” Shizuha states quietly, having trouble making eye contact with that friend. 

“And is that all?”

Shizuha crosses her arm, nervously scratching at her skin. She curses the curses surrounding her for how fast this was thrust upon her, yet she can see why. “Hina likely has so much more time to think to herself about these matters, and if I’ve been this in a tizzy, surely Hina’s got quite the strong opinion on this,” she thinks. That’s going to be all she’s doing for a moment, thinking, dwelling deep within the recesses of her mind.

Minoriko’s words come back into her head, about hoping she doesn’t bottle these emotions and miss the chance. Closure with denial is better than unknowing, having to spend nights wondering “what if.” Plus, there’s the added fact that Hina herself outright said she wouldn’t lie herself, so what point is there to concealing the truth here?

If only it were that easy, to just say yes and get it over with.

Shizuha’s face tightens up, herself about to perspire. The balminess is there, hastened by the sheer thought of turning around to look at Hina. This silence has to be killing her, right? Hesitantly, Shizuha turns her gaze, to see that Hina has been utterly, completely still. Was she lost in thought for that long, or has her sense of time faded entirely? Was Hina always that close or is that actually quite a gap between them? Her breathing picks up, exhaling quivered streams of hot air. 

The next barrier to shatter is making eye contact, her own shuddering gaze slowly matching Hina’s blank one. Though it’s killing her to even commit to this stare down, she recalls a sentiment. Emerald eyes with a kindness she could get lost in for ages…

May the beautiful jewels she’s fortunate to witness guide her along.

Shizuha takes a deep breath through her mouth, exhaling it through her nose. Her complexion isn’t proper or composed, but her bearings are stable enough to speak without it coming out as babble.

“No, Hina,” Shizuha says, surprisingly firm in her tone. She’d shuffle off of Hina’s bedside, feeling it more appropriate to stand for what she hopes she’s about to say. Hina remains silent, folding her hands back together and waiting with anticipation. Best not interrupt.

“It’s just,” she mumbles, tightly clinging onto the fabric of her dress, using every iota of strength in her body to keep her head lifted and eyes peering forward.

“When we first ran into each other, I looked to you at first like you were someone I could sympathize with, someone whose purpose went unstated and felt so small in a world so large.”

A step forward is taken, putting them at arm’s reach.

“Then, I realized that wasn’t the case, but was so much happier about what I did find.”

More vigor is present in Shizuha’s tone, her brows furrowing with infatuated determination.

“I came across a gorgeous, captivating woman whose smile and silly charm can illuminate the dark, depressing world around her.”

Her hands grip onto Hina’s shoulders, holding the shorter lady down. Hina pops up in surprise, but remains quiet and in place, a smile slowly yet surely coming on to her face.

“And, damn it, Kagiyama, you’ve gotten me in your wiles, and I’ve… “

The blood has rushed through Shizuha’s system like the river rapids, her heart pumping on the verge of breaking. Her head running on fumes, only steeled by the thought of Hina right in front of her and how she deserves every ounce of her kindness and the world’s. 

“I’ve hopelessly fallen for you, as you’re the one of the best things to ever happen to me, you’re a blessing that anyone else would be lucky to have.”

Suddenly, Shizuha would be pulled into a light embrace, Hina pulling her down somewhat so that her own head can rest on Shizuha’s shoulder.

“A girl who smells of autumn leaves,” Hina whispers, hands moving up and down Shizuha’s back, “comes to me through thick and thin every evening, not caring for the risk she puts on herself.”

Shizuha can do naught but stand there and return Hina’s hug, side-eyeing her to the best of her own ability.

“And so busy, hailing in the fall, yet still finding time for me,” Hina continues, pulling in a bit tighter, “granting me company I had thought I did not deserve.”

A light frown comes upon Shizuha’s face. Had both of their consciousnesses agreed that they don’t feel like they deserve one another? While Shizuha has trouble coming to the term that the notion may be false, it’d wrack at her heart to think Hina couldn’t either. Yet, like Hina had granted her then, she keeps quiet, letting the other offload her emotions. 

“Then I came to realize, that it was fate we’d conjoin,” Hina states, her hold tightening once more, forcing Shizuha to reciprocate that strength, “and I’d cried, so overjoyed that I was given my own blessing, that I didn’t know what to do with myself.”

Hina buries her head into Shizuha’s shoulder, fingers gripping into the cloth of her dress’ back, giving the article no break from clutches. A sniffle comes from the pestilence goddess, putting her leaf companion on full alert.

“Hina…” Shizuha mumbles, instinctively bringing up a hand to rest on Hina’s head, lightly coming through her hair.

“I’m sorry, I think I’m doing it again,” Hina replies, backing her face away in fear of getting tears in Shizuha’s clothes, loosening her arms so they’re still in one another’s hold, but with some breathing room. To Shizuha’s relief, the expression she witnesses on Hina is not one of despondence, but a wide, overjoyed smile.

“If all of this is about me, then I’m honored beyond compare,” Shizuha states, unable to keep her gloomy demeanor up for any longer. She cracks a grin herself, almost about to start tearing up as well. She brings her thumb up to Hina’s eyes, wiping off any tears that may’ve formed, which causes some giggling on the other end.

Despite such a heartfelt exchange, there’s still something missing, something so blatantly obvious. Their cards have been played but both are hesitant to shotgun their thoughts. Hina came to realize this first and inquires accordingly.

“So, is that an I love you?” Hina chokes through the raw emotion encompassing her body. Hina moves her hands so that they grip onto both of Shizuha’s lightly. The question sparks Shizuha to literally perspire this time, such a fast-moving heart causing a vigorous catabolic reaction. Her answer, however, is clear as day.

“Wholly so, Hina,” she states, nodding her head lightly once before suddenly being pulled down by her hands. Ah, so that’s what the scheme was, she thinks.

Hina’s pulling gets their faces within inches, before she hails in Shizuha for a loud, suffocating kiss on the lips. Hina, whose experience with romance is as equally barren as Shizuha’s, nearly bumped their foreheads and did this with no grace. However, the passion and gesture is all that matters, as their hearts have been put on display for one another.

Shizuha is completely taken aback, thrown into a daze that almost feels like fantasy. Her eyes keep split wide open, just to double check that this isn’t some figment of her own insanity. Nope, still looking straight at the woman of her dreams, present in her reality.

“ _Mwah!_ ”

When Hina parts their heads, she releases Shizuha’s hands and backs off a step. There are two ends of the spectrum, with Hina bashfully looking away and chuckling while Shizuha utterly paralyzed in place. After some seconds pass, Hina puts her back to her newly beloved, moving to sit in her chair, announcing, “thankfully I’d thought to ask you today, or I may have gone insane!”

Then, suddenly, Hina would be grabbed from behind, Shizuha’s arms wrapped around her shoulders. In a swift motion, Shizuha swipes Hina’s seat from her before pulling her up and into her lap. For what reason, none, only instinct dominating the autumn’s decaying goddess. Unbecoming of a deity to act on the heart so fervently, but who would care to judge them in this cursed forest?

“Gah- Shishi!” Hina exclaims, astonished and turning her head back. There’s a smile that remains on Shizuha’s face that’s replaced with an inquisitive, lowered brow. 

“ _Shishi?_ ” Shizuha asks, moving her arms down to hug Hina’s torso.

“Well, if we’re to be, us, I think a nickname for my sweet Shizuha should be in place!” Hina states, shifting her lower body around in an attempt to get comfortable in Shizuha’s gangly frame. It’s so obvious to the both of them that their knowledge of devotion extends to literature and secondhand viewing, but whose to say some corniness isn’t appreciated?

“…Fair enough,” Shizuha mumbles, now resting her head on Hina’s shoulder, “I like it.”

“Anyhow, my darling Shishi,” Hina says more confidently, leaning back and putting a hand on Shizuha’s cheek, stroking lightly, “when am I meeting your sister?”

_Of all days to have this conversation._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Greetings!
> 
> This is something I've had on the backlogs for a bit, working on it even in the midst of other works. Though, it's pretty short for what it is, I'd say.
> 
> I kinda figured that Hina and Shizuha go well for the reason that they both seem miserable from print work contexts and also they both fear fading away. I did want to focus less on that and something more silly, however.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed!


End file.
